Female Dominance (FemDom) refers to a BDSM scene or relationship in which a female-identifying person is a dominant partner or top partner. The dominant female takes charge of the submissive partner in these scenes or relationships. Their dominance gives them power over the submissive. This power may be psychological when it involves humiliating or ordering the submissive around. It can also be physical when it involves restraints or pain-giving instruments like whips.
A dominant female may have a number of different names, including Dominatrix, Mistress, Madame, Domme, and Pro-Domme. These terms have origins within the kink community as well as in the sex work industry, where they describe women paid to service several different submissive clients. People who incorporate Female Dominance into their intimate relationships may also identify with these terms. They may also call themselves a Domme, instead of a Pro-domme (short for professional Domme).
Female Dominants often engage in BDSM activities such as bondage, ballbusting, humiliation, face sitting, forced feminization, forced chastity, forced orgasm, and pegging. However, it can also include non-sexual activities where submissives serve a dominant female as well.
FemDom is a short form of the term Female Dominance. This shortened form has been used since at least 1986 when it described pornography featuring dominant females.